National Falange

The National Falange was a Christian democratic political party in Chile that was active from 1935 to 1957. The party was founded by a young group of Christian leftists who left the Conservative Party of Chile, and the group bore little resemblance to Spanish Falangism, as its supporters were mostly progressives and reformists. In its early years, it imitated fascist movements, with its members wearing uniforms and undergoing paramilitary training. It had a progressive economic program of redeeming the proletariat by creating an alternative to capitalism, and it was in open conflict with the Catholic high clergy, which accused it of disrespecting the Catholic Church's leadership and siding with communists. The party never received more than 4% of the vote in elections, but it helped to form the major Christian Democratic Party of Chile in 1957.